Build Thread 1979 Jeep CJ7

[jafo]

Ok. I guess I have enough threads on this thing to just go ahead and post upgrades to the CJ. Not really a rebuild or restoration though that could happen down the road. I got this just to mess with and tinker. This is more and upgrade thread and being new to CJ's a learning experience for me and to chronical things as I do them looking for pointers.

So got the Trail Master 4" lift last week along with steering stabilizer and Rugged Ridge heavy duty tie rod and drag link. Also replacing stock shackles with MORE .5 inch heavy duty shackles. I'll be ordering new extended brake lines front and rear. I am also replacing the stock steering box mount with a MORE heavy duty version.

I plan on just driving and enjoying the Jeep after the above. The next project will be front end rebuild. Upper and lower ball joints, new lock outs, new u-joints and a locker and ring and pinion on the.Dana 30 .

After that the.next step will be the AMC20 . Nee ring and pinion and a one piece axle kit. Last will be upgrades to the front and rear drive shaftes and u-joints.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Good job! Now you need to post a bunch of pictures. Need a before you started working on it picture too. The more pictures you add the better you have documented what you did to your Jeep. Not to mention the happier we are! :booze:

 

[jafo]

Good job! Now you need to post a bunch of pictures. Need a before you started working on it picture too. The more pictures you add the better you have documented what you did to your Jeep. Not to mention the happier we are! :booze:

I'll try to get some pics up. I warn you, I suck at pics.

I just got the front leaf springs installed tonight. I ran into an issue with the HD drag link. I started a thread for that in the steering section. I'm having trouble getting the joint up into the hole on the passenger side. I have the drivers side in but I haven't tightened down yet but there isn't much room between the bar and the top side of the leaf springs. That kind of gave me a stopping point tonight. I'm thinking if I tighten down the drivers side. It should give me some clearance to get the other side in. I also don't have anything else torqued yet either. Springs or u-bolts. So I don't know it that will make a difference or not.

There was a mount part that the stock steering stabilizer hooked to. It was the mount that secures between the drivers side leaf spring and housing perch. I left that out since I'm upgrading to a different stabilizer. Does that need to be back in there for any reason?

I'm hoping to figure out the drag link tomorrow and get the tie rod installed and the front wheels and tires on to get her back on the ground.

I haven't measured any pinon angles yet but just looking at them, they don't seem to extreme.

I'm also trying to figure out a way to measure my caster.

I have a brake lines in and steering box mount should be in tomorrow. I'm in hopes to have the cj back on the road this week.

 

[jafo]

The before.

 

[jafo]

Clutch repair........ Clutch was all but gone. Had a few issues with new clutch. Turned out to be the wrong TB in the kit.

 

[mdeluca]

Looking forward to reading this thread. Thanks for taking the time.

 

[jafo]

Some pics of the new suspension.......... Not quite done but getting there. If I had to do it over. I'd go with a 2.5" suspension lift and a 1" shackle lift. Get some 31" tires and go. It sits a little high for me, but it grew on me real quick and I'm liking the 4" lift more every time I look at it. I can see why they recommend at least a 4" lift for the 33's.

 

[jafo]

Front end is in progress. Being held up by the steering linkage, but it'll get worked out soon.

 

[jafo]

My helper.....Cruz.

 

[jafo]

Looking forward to reading this thread. Thanks for taking the time.

Cool. It's no problem. Please, if you have any input please share. I'll try to do better on the pics and add a little more script to go with them. I'm going to steal my wife's camera. I've been using my phone. Not bad but nothing like a zoooooom lens.

 

[jafo]

Going back a little and describing a little more on the Jeep itself.

Jeep exterior is not it's original color. Surprise! It's been repainted the current blue. Not bad but the original color is still the same inside. It's like a gunmetal metallic gray. It had after market A/C that has since been removed from the tub but not the compressor from the engine. There are future plans for that. It's equipped with a clock, tach, volt gauge and oil pressure gauge. Tilt column. Seats are in good condition and original. It has a AMC 304 V-8, and a T-150 Transmission and a Dana 20 Transfer Case . With some help here, I found the gear ratio is 3.54 open diffs. It has a hard top hard doors and two soft half doors.

Overall. The Jeep is in really good condition. It's spent much of it's life in California. So there is some surface rust but no rot holes except in the passenger floor board and it's pretty small. The floor boards in front are actually really solid just rusty. From there on back the floors are primo excellent condition. The tub overall is in excellent condition.

Since getting the Jeep. The seat belts have been replaced and the rear tail lights. Clutch has been replaced and now going for the suspension.

It's been interesting so far. The exhaust has caused me a few headaches on the suspension from just being in the way. I've engineered my way around it so far. I had to cut the rear bolt to the drivers side leaf spring out because I would had to drop the entire exhaust system to get it out. But all in all, should turn out pretty cool.

 

[jafo]

Going to update with pics tomorrow. But today, finally got done with the brake lines and system bled. Going to put the tires back on and start on the steering gear box mount. Should be fun. More extremely rust welded bolts!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

My helper.....Cruz.

No better helper in the world.
My nutty, mini-Aussie thinks my screwdrivers are chew-toys.
Nut'n like lay'n under the Jeep and get'n a tongue in your ear.

After about 100-200 miles. Re-torque every dang bolt you touched.

LG

 

[jafo]

No better helper in the world.
My nutty, mini-Aussie thinks my screwdrivers are chew-toys.
Nut'n like lay'n under the Jeep and get'n a tongue in your ear.

After about 100-200 miles. Re-torque every dang bolt you touched.

LG

He's my supervisor. He watches every move I make.

Yeh I planned on re-torquing everything.

 

[jafo]

OK here goes.

I'll start with the brake line upgrade. I got these through 4wheelparts dot com. They are Rubicon Express brand steel braided lines. I think they are all 22 inches long. The front stockers had a little play but the rear main flexline was maxed out. A railroad crossing would have broke it. So I went with the Rub. Ex. lines. They are nice lines for the money.

To say this was not interesting at times would be less than truthful. There was a couple moments when I was almost picking up the phone to order a complete pre bent brake line set for the Jeep. But I broke out the propane torch and went to work.

Thinking that heating the connectors a little would break them right lose. Bwahahahaha! Not so fast! I have done this before, with good results, but this was totally over the top. I had to heat them to the point the rubber brake line exploded off the mount! The first one was a surprise. I had undone the end at the caliper thinking that would take care of any pressure problems in the line. I didn't take into account the crimp portion of the line at the mounting bracket. I had to heat these until they exploded off the crimp. Only then did they break lose. I was ready for the next one but no the one on the back. It got me in the right cheek bone. Startled me more than hurt. So anyone heating up the connectors on there stock brake lines beware! They will explode off.

Here are some pics...... This is the rear brake line before and after.

 

[jafo]

Here are some pics of the front lines. Yes they are close to the tires. They move with the tires as it turns though. I'm thinking of maybe getting some soft recoil springs to help them stay clear of the tires.

Oh and by the way, my wife helped me bleed the brakes. She also informed me there was a rust spot on the hood. I told her it'll be ok as is and she informed me that NO it wasn't. I first thought, "you should look underneath the Jeep". Gotta love'm. Then I thouhgt, hey I got a shot at getting her painted sooner than expected.......maybe. But anyways, thanks honey!

 

[jafo]

OK. Now the steering gear HD mounting bracket install. At first it was like looking at a puzzle. I didn't know where how or what I had bought. Then I read the directions they so graciously sent in the box. Started to make sense.

It's straight forward really. It's also a snap to install once you get a plan because there are so many bolts. 4 bolts to hold the gear to the bracket, three for the top of the bracket for which one you will need to drill a new hole for and three on the bottom of the frame channel. At first, I was a bit leery taking all three bolts out of the frame channel. Two of those bolts hold your shackle mount in place. I didn't know what would happen once they were all out. I did it anyway. I figure the worst that could happen is it'd knock my front teeth out. I'd already been hit in the face by a brake line this morning, so what the heck. I proceeded. Nothing happened. I can actually say I was relieved and disappointed all at the same time. But anyways, I tool the three bolts out of the frame first, then the top two bolts out of the cross member then lowered the gear to take out the mounting bolts and alacazam! Old bracket it out.

Now I had to figure out how to mark the spot for the new hole in the cross member. Direction said to just flip the new bracket upside down and set it over the two existing holes and mark the new hole to drill. Can't get to the hole to mark, it's tucked in bellow another part of the bracket so I decided to make a templet. Worked out great. Installing was a breeze as it goes back together reverse of how it came out.

Here are some pics of the new mounting

 

[jafo]

Tomorrows project is to redo the axle breather lines. Front is ok but I want to make sure there is enough length. The back, there is no question it needs to be longer.

I went ahead and stuck the old tie rod and drag link back on today in case I needed to move the jeep for some reason. Being that I did this, I think I may back her out and into the yard to take some decent pics of the new lift and tires. I haven't gotten any good pics yet.

Then it'll be on to fabricating a hi lift jack mount.

All this while I wait for my tie rod/ drag link flip bushings to get here. I decided to go with the ones where you drill the whole instead of reaming. In the end it was just cheaper and with welding the inserts in, they should be just fine. After that it's front end alignment time and then just drive her for a while. I do need to check that torque spec on the rear two piece axle before hand though. I haven't forgot.

 

[jafo]

Well, looks.like old blue is going into service sooner than expected. -4 below zero this morning and my normally reliable truck won't start. I'm suspecting frozen fuel line. It cranks just acts like no spark or fuel. Since it got so cold, I figure fuel line.

So now the CJ7 is going to work. Keeping fingers crossed. This is much sooner than anticipated. I was wanting to get a few more things done. Did a hap hazard front end alignment in the garage and put the steering stabilizer on. I backed it up and went forward a few times in the garage to make sure everything clearanced ok. No binding or anything. Guess I'll back her out and take a shake down cruise close to home just in case. I've went through a checkdown list to make sure nothing was missed. Wish me luck!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

You may well want to add an engine block heater to the Jeep's list.
I have one-It's been very handy the few times I really need'd it.
LG